31 Oil of Chrism

The Oil of Chrism is used in the Sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Ordination. It is a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit and it reminds us that the one who is being anointed has been chosen by God for a particular job. 

In Baptism, anointing with the oil of chrism reminds us of the call to follow Jesus as a Christian. In Confirmation the oil of chrism reminds us of the call to share the good news of Jesus' life with others by being a witness to Christ. A witness is a person who knows something about a person or event and shares that knowledge. We are called to share what we know about Jesus with others, through what we say and how we behave. 

When the oil of chrism is used at ordination, it reminds us that the priest is called to represent Jesus in the world and particularly at the altar when he celebrates Mass.

Priests collecting oils of
Chrism, Catechumens and Sick

When are the oils blessed?

The oils are all blessed at the Chrism Mass which in the Lancaster Diocese happens in the morning of Maundy Thursday.  At this Mass the priests of the diocese renew their vows and the Bishop blesses the three oils that they will use in the sacraments in the year ahead.

Here the priests are collecting their oil after the Chrism Mass in 2010.  Later this week we'll look at the blessing of Chrism, which is the 'sweet smelling oil' used in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Ordination and for the consecration of altars.

For earlier postings about the other oils 

Oil of Catechumens

30 Holy Spirit Titles

CCC 693 Besides the proper name of "Holy Spirit," which is most frequently used in the Acts of the Apostles and in the Epistles, we also find in St. Paul the titles: 
the Spirit of the promise, 
the Spirit of adoption, 
the Spirit of Christ, 
the Spirit of the Lord, and
the Spirit of God - 
and, in St. Peter, the Spirit of glory.

Pentecost - 

CCC 731 On the day of Pentecost when the seven weeks of Easter had come to an end, Christ's Passover is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, manifested, given, and communicated as a divine person: of his fullness, Christ, the Lord, pours out the Spirit in abundance.

Pentecost in two minutes 

Today  we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost see Cathedral parish blog for our Holy Spirit cocktails! and the diocese launches a 9 week novena of prayer for vocations further details on Lancaster Vocations and on Cathedral Parish blog.over the coming weeks

30 Come, Holy Spirit

One of the Holy Spirit images from 
Lancaster Cathedral

We pray 'Come, Holy Spirit' as we prepare to celebrate Pentecost, fifty days after Easter. At Pentecost we remember when the Holy Spirit came to the apostles who were waiting in the upper room. After receiving the Holy Spirit, symbolised by a strong wind and tongues of fire that rested above each of them, the apostles had the courage to leave the upper room, go into the busy market place and proclaim the good news about Jesus who died and rose to life again. This was the start of the Church. Without the Holy Spirit would we know about Jesus today?  

As we prepare to celebrate Pentecost, we invite the Holy Spirit into our lives to give us strength, courage and wisdom to share the good news of Jesus' life with others through our words and actions. Come, Holy Spirit.  Through the coming days there will be posts that link to the Catechism, prayers and video clips for hymns to the Holy Spirit
Today the Latin Veni Creator Spiritus

29 Roman Missal - new translation

In November 2011, there was a new translation of the Roman Missal introduced. The Roman Missal website includes explanations of some of the changes as well as resources including service sheets with the core prayers. 

Webpage for Roman Missal with information about parts of the mass

Although the Mass is to be prayed it can be helpful to reflect on what happens.  The website includes short video clips of different parts of the Mass which might be used as a basis for discussion, to help talk to children, young people or individuals wanting to know more about what happens at Mass.

Links to video clips on sections of the Mass

29 Missal - Mass

The Missal contains the prayers we say during the Mass, is described in different ways, each reminding us of an important part of this central liturgy. 

CCC 1329 The Lord's Supper, because of its connection with the supper which the Lord took with his disciples on the eve of his Passion and because it anticipates the wedding feast of the Lamb in the heavenly Jerusalem.

The Breaking of Bread, because Jesus used this rite, part of a Jewish meal when as master of the table he blessed and distributed the bread, above all at the Last Supper. It is by this action that his disciples will recognize him after his Resurrection, and it is this expression that the first Christians will use to designate their Eucharistic assemblies; by doing so they signified that all who eat the one broken bread, Christ, enter into communion with him and form but one body in him.

The Eucharistic assembly (synaxis), because the Eucharist is celebrated amid the assembly of the faithful, the visible expression of the Church

"Carrying the book" 

During the Mass altar servers will bring the Missal to the priest for him to read out the prayers. 

Altar Servers mass 2008

29 Missal

Image from Lancaster Diocesan webpage with further details of the new Roman Missal

The missal is the book that contains all the prayers and words that are used in the celebration of Mass throughout the year. The Sunday missal contains the prayers that are used just on each Sunday of the year but the weekday missal contains prayers to use everyday of the liturgical year. The priest uses the missal on the altar when he is celebrating Mass. 

Anyone can have either a smaller Sunday or weekday missal so that they can follow the prayers during Mass.  It can also be at home so that a person can spend time reflecting on the readings of the day which are in the Lectionary.

28 Baptismal Shawl and Baptismal Candle

White is a symbol of purity and the white baptismal shawl reminds us of the new start we are making as followers of Jesus and members of the Church. When we put on the shawl, it is as if we are clothing ourselves in Christ so that we can become more like him. 

Jesus is often called 'the light of the world' and he even used this name for himself. Just as a light shows us the way to go in the darkness, Jesus shows us the way to God. We are called to share the light of Christ with others through our words and actions. If we try to live as good followers of Jesus, we  will show others the way to God. The baptismal candle reminds us that Jesus is our light and our guide and when we are baptised, we are saying 'yes' to sharing that light with others.

CCC 1243 The white garment symbolizes that the person baptized has "put on Christ," has risen with Christ. The candle, lit from the Easter candle, signifies that Christ has enlightened the neophyte. In him the baptized are "the light of the world." The newly baptized is now, in the only Son, a child of God entitled to say the prayer of the children of God: "Our Father."